Eco-City In Turkey Burns Pistachio Shells For Biogas

As society becomes more aware and conscious of our environments, it only makes sense that more countries are developing eco-cities. Eco-cities usually have the goal of stimulating economic growth, improving health and city efficiency, and reducing carbon waste. In addition, employing renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, and biogas are important. In alignment with those goals, Turkey is planning to build an eco-city within major industrial hub Gaziantep, but completely unique to eco-cities is Turkey’s idea of using pistachio shells to provide the city’s heat.

One aspect of a successful eco-city is that it makes use of the resources it has, and Gaziantep has a lot of pistachios. The region has been known to produce as much as 60,000 metric tons of pistachios a year, and only 4,000 tons of that is exported. This naturally leads to a large amount of pistachio shell waste, which officials are now proposing be burned for biogas, which would then be used for heat.

The idea was first suggested by Burgeap, a French environmental engineering company. They believe the areas pistachio shells are the most practical source of energy, and have the potential to provide up to 60 percent of the city’s heating needs.

If all goes according to plan, the eco-city will be upward of 7,900 acres and will house 200,000 people. If the pistachio proposal is accepted, the city will not only be joining in the trend of turning food waste into energy, but will have a local and abundant energy source, sure to sustain people for years to come.